Truck body



@ciL'M ,-ll%a 3511 72 A. F. HOWLAND TRUCK BODY Filed March 17 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. F. HOWLAND TRUCK BODY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1924 Patented Uct. M, T224.

TRUCK JBQDY.

A pp1ication filed March 17, 192%. Serial No. $99,724:.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, ALMoN F. HowLAND, a citizen of the United States, residin at Waterford Township in the county of akota and State of 'nnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Truck Bodies, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to vehicle bodies in general and more particularly to a body adapted to be mounted on a motor driven vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient :vehicle body the construction of which is such as to facilitate the loadingand unloading of live stock, milk cans, farm products and other articles.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 isa top view of my improved ve-, hicle body on an automobile chassis.

Fig. 2 1s aside elevation of 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is a slightly enlarged top view of my improved vehicle body alone, all ofuts hinged sections being shown: swung away from the platform.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail View as on line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, designates the front wheels, 11 the rear wheels, 12 the cap and 13 the main frame of an auto vehicle on which is mounted my improved vehicle body. The said body comprises aquadrangular platform 14 of heavy planking supported on spaced cross beams 15 which are secured in any suitable manner on longitudinally arranged, transversely spaced ll-beams 16 adapted to be secured longitudinally on the auto frame 13 by any suitable means (not shown). The balance. of my device consists of three sectional walls and a permanent front wall, the construction of the side and rear walls embracing the novel features of my invention.

17 are two front corner posts and 17 two rear corners posts suitably secured in their respective places as in pockets 18, on the platform, in a rigid vertical position and are preferably made of oak or other suitable Wood. The front wall comprises preferably a vertical row of spaced wooden bars 19 connecting the front osts 17 and is located close to or against t e rear wall of the cab 12. Each side wall comprises a number of sections each hinged to swing outwardly from the platform. I have illustrated the preferred type of side walls comprising a narrow center section or gate 20, a wide front gate 20 and a like rear gate 20 The front gates are provided with hinge members 21 having each a. downwardly extending finger 22 pivotally engaging an L-shaped hinge member 23 secured on the front post 17*. The center gate 20 and rear gate 20 are hinged on like hinges of which the members 23 are secured respectively to two vertically arranged posts or stakes 24: preferably made of steel pipe and far enough apart to permit the center gate to be swung into and out of the space between them. The lower end of each stake is slidably inserted through the bore of a casting 25 secured as at 26 in the edge of the latform 14 (see Fig. 5) and through whici it projects downwardly into the loop of a strap iron 27 secured as at 28 on the end of a platform cross member 15. The said strap 27 and casting 25 are spaced sufiiciently far apart to permit a bolt or like means 29 to be inserted in a diametral aperture in the pipe to prevent vertical move- I ment of the latter.

The rear wall of my vehicle body consists preferably oftwo gates 29 with the hin e members 23 on the corner posts 17 and t e corresponding hinge members 21' on the ad'- jacen t part of each gate so arranged that i said gates may be swung rearwardly away from the platform. When in closed position the adjacent vertical edges are one on each side of a central, rear post 24 the lower end of which is engaged in parts 25 and 23' similar to correspondin parts for posts 24 except that 2'7 is a soc et simply shaped. to be secured against the rear face of the rear cross member 15 of the platform by screws or bolts 28 The gates 20 are of a width to close the space between posts 17 and the post 24 and likewise the gates 20 each close the space between post 17 and the nearest post or stake 24.

30 is a hasp secured horizontally on one of the rear doors 29, its swinging member adapted to straddle a staple 31 in the other door 29 and in which a padlock may be inserted to lock the rear gates in linear relation (see Fig. 3).

33 are angle irons secured on the stakes 24 preferably on the sides opposite from where the lower hinge members 23 are secured. Each of these angle irons has an spective aperture in. its horizontal arm in which a hook 34 pivotally secured on the adjacent gate (as on in Fig. 2) may be engaged to prevent the gates from bein accidentally bumped or jarred ofi of their 'nges. Like hooks 35, engaging in staples 36 or like means on the edge of the platform may also be used for the same purpose (see Fig.2).

All of the wall sections combining to form the side and rear walls are preferably made gate-like, that is, each one comprises a vertlcal row of spaced boards B nailed or otherwise secured on two spaced upright bars B and the whole ate strengthened by angular braces B (see ligs. 2 and 3). For each such gate I provide one or more slidable bars 37 in the space between adjacent bars B and adapted to be guided between vertically arranged guard straps 38 secured on said adjacent boards. Each of said bars may be moved horizontally so that its outer en will engage between the correspondingly spaced, registering bars of the adja cent gate, as at 37? in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus all the gates on one side and both of the rear gates may be interlocked.

In the use of my improved vehicle body the following examples will reveal its scope of usefulness:

Assuming that one of my truck bodies were mounted on a truck used to collect and distribute milk cans, it will be readily seen that the route man will load the first cans on hisroute adjacent the front wall 19, opening either of the gates 20 adjacent thesaid front wall and taking in the-cans near wherethey are to be stacked. As the cahsare stacked toward the rear the reates 20 20, 20 and 29 are opened, t on closed and locked when the truck is fully loaded.

For transporting live stock one of the narrow gates 20 may be 0 ned for admitting or letting out hogs, s eep and other small stock and any of the larger gates may be opened for loading and unloading horses, cows etc., etc.

When merchandise or commodities in boxes, sacks etc., is transported the advantage of opening allthe gates and makin rapid loading and unloading from botli sides and the rear, simultaneously, is apparent.

What I claim is:

1. A vehicle body comprising a quadrangular platform, cross beams secured to the under side of the platform and mounted on longitudinally arranged body supporting members, a removable vertically arranged post at each corner of said platform, a pluralit of horizontally spaced, removably secure stakes in opposite sides of said platform and a single removable stake secured centrally at one end of said platform, sectional walls on three sides of said platform each section comprising a gate hingedly secured one each to the corner posts and to each side post, and a front wall on said body formed integral with the front corner posts and means for interlocking the adjacent gate sections to form ri upright walls contiguous to three sides of the platform.

2. The structure specified in claim 1, and

.means for holding said stakes in rigid upright position comprising for each stake, a guide secured in the edge of the platform and through which the stake is projected downwardly, a second stake guide secured to the platform supporting means in vertically spaced relation to the first mentioned guide, said stake having a diametral aperture, and means inserted in said aperture between said two guides for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALMON F. HOWLAND. 

